hall call you Jean, after my younger brother."

Helped on by him, I hobbled along, though in pain. How chill, but how
fresh and pleasant, felt the open air! It seemed the breath of life to
me, and revived me like a potent medicine. There was a distant, sullen
murmur in the city, but around us all was still. Above us were bright
stars, but no moon.

At length we got among low dwellings, some of which had twinkling
lights. We entered a dark, narrow passage, smelling powerfully of fried
fish and onions. Some one from above said cautiously, "Who goes there?"

"La Croissette."

"Who else?"

"My brother Jean."

"Advance, brothers La Croissette."

We ascended a mean staircase and entered a room where we found a man and
woman standing beside a large basket.

"Now get you into this," said La Croissette to me, "and we will lower
you from the window. Stay, I will go first; it will give you
confidence."

Twisting his long frame into the basket, he clasped his arms round his
knees, and the others began to raise him by well-secured pulleys. The
woman grew quite red in the face with the exertion of getting him over
the window-ledge, and I own I trembled for him.

"All is right, he is safely down," said she, at length, and helped to
pull up the basket. "Now, young man; you're not afraid?"

"Oh no; only don't let me down too fast."

"That must depend on how heavy you are. We can't keep dangling you
between sky and earth all night. Come; you are not nearly as heavy as
your brother. Adieu, mon cher; bon voyage!"

"Adieu, madame; mille remerciments."

I thought of St. Paul in the basket, and the two Israelitish spies.
La Croissette eased my descent a good deal, by steadying the basket,
and helped me out of it to our mutual satisfaction. It was then swiftly
drawn up, and taken in.

"Thank heaven, we are safe!" said I. "That was very cleverly managed."

"Do you suppose it the first time?" said La Croissette. "Far from it, I
can tell you. Many things are done in Nismes that the authorities know
nothing of, for all their vigilance. Now we are fairly outside the city,
and, with ordinary good luck, shall perform our night-journey in safety."

"With God's blessing we may," said I.

"Make that proviso with all my heart," said La Croissette. "some trust
in Providence and some in luck. I have nothing to say against either.
Now get into the cart."

He led the horse a little out of the shadow as he spoke, and helped me
inside